Hope for harvest

We did the usual things we do every morning when we check traps: make coffee, get the chicks that will be replacing yesterday’s bait ready, prep some food and water for our live baits, and then take off. This morning was different though. Today will be the blessing of the cane.

It started only about three years ago for this hacienda. People come to pray for a good harvest season, which will last from November to around June of next year. One may think that with the onset of harvest, the crop year has come to a full cycle. It hasn’t. Many things can still go wrong during the long harvest period. The female pastor’s prayer revealed so much of the dynamics of cane harvest, and for someone who didn’t grow up in a farm, it was fascinating for me. It wasn’t only inclement weather, or pest, but the people themselves, who are involved in harvest.

In a few days, the sakadas (cane cutters who were hired by a middleman from another place or island) will come to the hacienda. They will be housed in the quarters solely their own in the middle of the tiny hacienda village. Having so many people in such a small place for an extended period of time creates negative energy sometimes, and it was not only once that we were told of fights breaking up between the locals and the sakadas.

But today everyone is hopeful. That this harvest season will bring not only the owner, but also the people, a bit of blessing, and the hacienda, peace.

Tabo-an

We woke up early today to check the traps, and retrieve the chicks; traps will be closed for the weekend. We hurried home after, knowing we need to leave Araal early. Today is the tabo-an. While it literally means meeting, tabo-an in Ilonggo is ‘market day’, the day when crop-producing barangays come down to the town market to sell their produce. Fruits, meat, fish, vegetables, and eggs are cheaper compared to a regular day at the market. It is also when kakanin, any delicacy made from glutinous rice, will be sold everywhere.

We started off with the groceries, not knowing today was a big sale day for the only supermarket in town. Lopue’s La Carlota was packed, and it was only 8:30 in the morning! Jeric left to purchase the things we needed from the wet market, while I was left to wait patiently for my turn at the cashier. We have had several incidence with the guard and the cashier at that supermarket. They didn’t want us to use our own bag, and the last time I was there, I got irritated that I went straight to the manager and complained. He was nice enough, but I guess since then, I earned myself a reputation at Lopue’s. I left for the market afterwards. I’m excited. Today is my first tabo-an.

I was amazed at what I saw. The streets surrounding the market were filled with vendors selling everything from tomatoes to dried fish to second-hand clothing. I roamed around, my eyes feasting on all these. I purchased a few things we need, and proceeded to the tricycle terminal where I’m meeting Jeric.

I love tricycles from Araal! You can ask them to take your water container, have it refilled at the water refilling station, and have them take your container back to your place—for only PhP20 for the whole trip! Or you can leave a boxful or groceries at Lopue’s, go into town to do some marketing, take the trike, and ask them to pass by Lopue’s so you can retrieve your groceries and take it home with you. Which is exactly what we did on our way back to Ara-al.